be considered—they do not guarantee certainty. If anything, personality tests, and other pretests should only be used as a guideline for employers when placing officers in particular job situations where their skills will be optimized.6). The effects of stress on police officers often times, if not always, effects their family members as well. Spouses, children, the officer’s parents, and extended family members are never quite exempt from the repercussions stress initiates upon their loved one as a police officer. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a reaction to an abnormal and traumatic event. No officer wants to be in a position where they must fire their weapon However, when an officer must use his gun to fire when in a self-defense position, this event may be traumatic for him or her and thereby causing feelings of estrangement, isolation, depression, and anxiety, due to being emotionally unprepared for such an occurrence. Often times these reactions are projected onto family members, resulting in interpersonal problems. The stress the family member endures is called “secondary stress reaction.” Marital strain can be a result of the emotional upheaval that each spouse is feeling. Suicide can also be an effect/result of stress. Suicide is the route some officers chose to take as a response to the daily stress they encounter. However, it is the surviving members who are left to deal with and cope with the tragedy. They may experience feelings of guilt, isolation, and depression. Also, because suicide is considered dishonorable, families may not be afforded the full honors of a police style funeral. Police departments may abandon the family members after merely sending their condolences; therefore, members may not receive the emotional support they need from the department while dealing with the grieving process. Emotional hardening may develop among police officers due to the harsh environment they work i...
